MIS 7

The shock that spread across Seo-hee’s face was clearly visible to Ye-rin.

‘That foxy bitch.’

Kang Tae-jun’s woman had to be Cha Ye-rin and no one else.

As a child, Ye-rin fell in love with Tae-jun at first sight at a party.

She was the apple of her parents’ eyes, their youngest daughter, and she had relentlessly insisted that she would only marry Tae-jun.

She even followed him when he went to the USA to study, but he never met her.

Tae-jun obsessively kept women at arm’s length. Even after hiring a private investigator, his personal life was clean.

Home, work, home, work.

She thought he was too proud and considered himself too aristocratic to date anyone.

But all this was Ye-rin’s misconception.

After Han Seo-hee joined the company as his secretary, hotels were added between his home and work.

‘I’ve had a crush on him for over ten years. How could you and Oppa…’

Ye-rin glared at Seo-hee with murderous intent.

Seo-hee looked exhausted, having been overworked from morning to night without even a sip of water.

Even that pale, canvas-like face was truly beautiful.

It looked like she was wearing only foundation, but her skin glowed with a pearly translucency. Prominent double eyelids, a high bridge of the nose, and full lips.

Last year, Ye-rin wondered if she had to be that beautiful to catch Tae-jun’s eye. She went to a plastic surgery clinic with Seo-hee’s picture. Her current eyes and nose were the result of her desire to look like Seo-hee.

The thought fueled a sudden wave of anger.

Ye-rin wanted to slap Seo-hee in the face. It felt like the only way to release all the pent-up resentment she had accumulated.

Just as Ye-rin’s arm was about to rise, a cold voice dominated the area.

“Go ahead. I’m curious to see who wins.”

“O-Oppa.”

Startled, Ye-rin turned around.

Tae-jun was standing there with his hands in his suit pockets, watching them with a cold look.

“…How did you get here, oppa? Did Secretary Han contact you?”

Seo-hee’s eyes widened as well.

Tae-jun, who was supposed to be in a meeting until the evening, had appeared at the department store.

“I needed Secretary Han so badly.”

Tae-jun said with a sneer, one corner of his mouth raised.

“She was nowhere to be found since this morning.”

Tae-jun’s cold gaze swept over Seo-hee from head to toe. He frowned at the shopping bags that filled her hands.

“So I came to get her myself.”

“I apologize for causing a disturbance.”

Seo-hee quickly bowed her head.

This kind of humiliation was nothing compared to the life she had lived.

It seemed that her greed for Tae-jun had finally caught up with her.

She felt like she could understand Ye-rin. No, she had to understand. 

If a man who was supposed to discuss an engagement with her was having a secret relationship with his secretary, that would be more than enough reason to be angry. 

Seo-hee had never shown any signs of hardship while paying off her parents’ debts. 

She was the kind of person who would persevere even if she had to make sacrifices. Because that was the quickest way to end it.

When you’re trapped, there’s no point in fighting it. It’s better to accept it and find a way through.

“Why are you apologizing?”

Tae-jun murmured the words in a low, almost inaudible voice.

Seo-hee looked up and met his gaze. His face was filled with anger.

This time his intense gaze was on Ye-rin.

“You should be the one to apologize.”

“Oppa, it’s not like that.”

Tae-jun’s eyebrows twitched at the sound of her calling him ‘Oppa‘.

“She’s my secretary.”

“Oppa…”

Ye-rin’s face crumpled.

“I don’t keep her at my side to run errands like this.”

Errands.

Seo-hee’s throat tightened. She must have looked shameful even in Tae-jun’s eyes.

“You embarrassed me. I don’t make my secretary do things like this.”

“All this over accidentally tearing some cheap bag? Secretary Han, why don’t you explain yourself? I was just curious about the bag, that’s all!”

“And what exactly were you so curious about in that ‘cheap bag’?”

“T-That.”

“If you don’t want to apologize, then don’t. Talk to the legal team.”

At Tae-jun’s threat of legal action, Ye-rin erupted in indignation.

“Over a mere employee? You don’t know, Oppa. All my friends play around like this. Why are you making such a big deal out of this? Is there something going on between you and Secretary Han…?”

When Ye-rin trailed off, Tae-jun interrupted her.

“What about my reputation if rumors spread that my secretary acts like a maid for KM Group’s immature youngest daughter?”

“Managing Director Kang…”

“Stay out of this.”

Seo-hee’s plea was silenced by Tae-jun’s cold voice.

Ye-rin’s face brightened.

Right, Oppa wasn’t the type of man to stand up for another woman.

If it was about Tae-jun’s reputation, she could easily apologize.

“Secretary Han, I’m sorry for calling you so suddenly.”

‘Fucking apology,’ Tae-jun sneered.

“It’s okay.”

Tae-jun tugged impatiently at his tightly knotted tie.

Han Seo-hee looked like she was about to cry, but she calmly accepted the apology. He didn’t understand why he was more irritated than her.

He was annoyed by Han Seo-hee’s tattered bag, and even more annoyed by her favorite notebook and pen rolling around on the floor. And why was she carrying a bankbook of all things?

“Is that even an apology?”

“O-Oppa.”

“Bow your head and do it right.”

“You’re telling me to bow to Secretary Han in front of all these people?”

“Managing Director Kang, it’s okay, so…”

“Shut up.”

Tae-jun seemed determined to get an apology. Ye-rin, seemingly overwhelmed by the injustice, bowed her head slightly in tears.

“…I’m sorry. I apologize for what happened today. I won’t ask Secretary Han to run personal errands for me again.”

Seo-hee responded to Ye-rin’s apology by bowing her head as well. Then she bent down and started to pick up the scattered items and put them back into her bag with the broken handle.

Her heart ached. Why did she always show such a pathetic side to Tae-jun?

It was a forced apology, but with Ye-rin’s words, the situation was resolved for the time being.

“Tae-jun oppa!”

Ye-rin called Tae-jun, but he ignored her and turned around. He left only a commanding voice behind, telling Seo-hee to follow him.

Ye-rin watched Tae-jun’s retreating figure with a look of lingering obsession.

* * *

“I’ll drive.”

Tae-jun, standing in front of the luxury sedan, took out his wallet and handed money to Driver Kim.

“Take a taxi.”

Driver Kim’s eyes widened at the sight of what appeared to be at least ten 50,000 won bills. He hesitated, wondering if he should take it, but quickly took the money and left after seeing Tae-jun’s scowl.

As Seo-hee looked at him, she felt the distance between them grow even more. 

In the first place, the value of 500,000 won was meaningless to him as he was running a company that was worth hundreds of millions or even trillions of won.

“Managing director.”

Seo-hee’s words after getting into the car were cut off by Tae-jun’s harsh voice.

“I told you to be quiet.”

Seo-hee blinked her wide eyes and swallowed hard.

She was nervous. She didn’t understand what made him so angry. She had always seen him as cold and calm, but this was the first time she had seen him so close to exploding.

The car was quieter than ever.

She resented the luxury sedan, which completely blocked out all external noise.

She wished the sound of the road could break the uncomfortable silence. Even swallowing her saliva felt like it would reach Tae-jun’s ears.

Tae-jun touched the screen and made a phone call.

[Yes, Managing Director Kang.]

The housekeeper’s warm voice echoed in the quiet car.

“Please prepare dinner.”

[Is there anything in particular you would like to eat?]

Tae-jun looked at Seo-hee sitting next to him.

Seo-hee watched his expression carefully, wondering if he was looking at her because he was about to get angry again.

“Nothing.”

Tae-jun turned his eyes forward again. He spoke while turning the steering wheel.

“Would you also prepare some fruit? Shine Muscat or something like that.”

[Don’t you usually avoid sweet fruits?]

“I’ll be there in 30 minutes.”

Tae-jun ended the call after saying what he had to say.

“Where are we going?”

He didn’t answer and just turned the wheel.

“I apologize for what happened today. I’ll make sure not to embarrass Cha Ye-rin-ssi again.”

Since the engagement talks were underway, it was clear that he would be seeing Cha Ye-rin frequently for the time being.

“From now on, you will not see Cha Ye-rin.”

“Then what?”

“Stay out of my engagement.”

Tae-jun’s sharp, irritated tone stabbed right into Seo-hee’s chest.

It seemed clear that he was angry that she had interfered with his engagement.

He, a man who planned his time down to the minute, had set aside a whole day to see his fiancée.

The person who upset his fiancée was his secretary, and he couldn’t take his fiancée’s side in a public place because of his pride and reputation.

More than anything else, he must be angry that she caused a misunderstanding with Ye-rin.

“I understand.”

Seo-hee glanced out of the window, feigning indifference as if she wasn’t the least bit affected.

Over the years, Tae-jun had received countless marriage proposals.

But he had turned them all down, considering them unworthy of his time.

But now, when it came to the engagement with Ye-rin, he showed a lukewarm attitude.

Considering the conditions that the chairman of KM Group and his daughter had set, it was clear that Tae-jun had calculated the benefits of the marriage down to the last detail. And he had taken the bait.

Seo-hee discreetly opened her bag and checked its contents.

Fortunately, the bankbook and the resignation letter were safely tucked away in a corner.

It was time to put an end to this long unrequited love.

As Cha Ye-rin began to grow suspicious of their relationship, she couldn’t afford to stay at his side any longer.

She watched the city lights pass by the window, the red glow of the night landscape smearing across her blurred vision.